Battling stage IV metastatic melanoma!
Donation protected
My husband Tom was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic ocular melanoma four and a half years ago. He's a US Navy veteran and fought during Operation Desert Storm, where he was exposed to nerve agents, burn pits and other toxins which caused his cancer. He had a 19 hour surgery which they removed his right eye, bone, muscle and brain tissue. The surgeons were able to remove around 90 percent of the cancer, but were unable to get clear margins due to the location. It has metastasized into his left femur, lungs, lumbar spine and shoulder blade.
Tom has tried several immunotherapy treatments. Some helped to slow down the cancer, but unfortunately the last round caused severe reactions which nearly ended our fight. He was hours from dying when I called for an ambulance. He was rushed to the University of Minnesota, where over the next several months he gained some strength and weight back.
After the immunotherapy treatments failed his oncologist came to us with the prospect of "clinical trials". Tom has volunteered for several, the last Fate Therapeutics NK-100. He responded very well and some of the tumors shrunk! It is nothing short of a miracle. We have had a couple of months since the last clinical trial, we have been waiting for the FDA to approve the next clinical trial. We got a call from the nurse care Coordinator for the trial a few days ago. She told us that the new FATE Therapeutics FT-500 had been approved by the FDA and that they have a slot reserved for him. Tom was supposed to start the clinical trial in October, but he caught a really nasty virus which lasted almost two months! Tom started chemotherapy last Thursday and Friday, this is to suppress his immune system so that the NK cells will stay alive longer in his body and attack the cancer!
Monday, he had a picc line placed in his right arm. The infusions came in three small doses and lasted about an hour and a half. He had IV fluids and vital signs checked over the next four hours. They finally released him at 8 pm! He's feeling pretty good today! I flushed out his picc line with Heparin for the very first time! I usually get queasy about blood & stuff, but I did it like a champ!
We are battle weary. We gearing up for this fight has been stressful. We are doing our best to hang in there, but fighting cancer is extremely expensive. We have stacks of unpaid bills and pay what we can, when we can. We are trying to stay on our feet, but it's difficult when the bills just keep coming in.
We could really use some help! Anyone fighting a disease like cancer can understand, but it's hard to describe having someone you love with a horrible disease like stage IV metastatic ocular melanoma. If you're able to help out in any way, we really appreciate it! anything and any amount helps! I will continue to post updates as Tom receives his immunotherapy. We remain optimistic that this clinical trial will help shrink or kill his cancer.
Thank you all and God bless!!
Patti
Organizer
Tom Riley
Organizer
Hastings, MN